Enhance Ties With EAC, Amina Tells Turkey

Ambassador Amina Mohamed at the same time encouraged Turkish investors to venture into the EAC market saying it offers a wide range of opportunities  as well as a large market for goods and services.

Addressing the Africa-Turkey Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, where she represented President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Cabinet Secretary called  for joint efforts to promote commercial and other exchanges between Africa and Turkey.

"The East African Business Council and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey can play a major role in spearheading cooperation between Africa and Turkey," said the Cabinet Secretary.

The CS also called for joint trade fairs and exhibitions between Africa and Turkey saying these will facilitate sharing of information on investment opportunities.

"The creation of a joint business data base at the level of Chambers of Commerce and Business Councils will further facilitate dissemination of  information on business opportunities," added Ambassador Amina Mohamed.

Mohamed said there are many areas and opportunities for  cooperation and investment especially in agriculture, value addition, rural development and Small and Medium Scale enterprises (SMEs).

"Agriculture, agribusiness, rural development and small and medium scale enterprises hold great potential for uplifting the region's social economic development and can contribute to increase trade relations between Turkey and Africa," said the CS.

Ambassador Mohamed called upon Turkey to collaborate with the SMEs sector in the region through training aimed at improving product development, marketing and value addition.

"The export promotion agencies of the East African countries and their Turkish counterparts can collaborate in assisting SMEs to access markets in respective markets and beyond and in value addition,"said the CS.

The CS also cited infrastructure development, tourism, mining, generation and distribution of energy as well as the development of hydrocarbon resources as other key areas of cooperation and investment.

"Turkey has varied mineral resources and well developed energy sector. EAC can benefit from the expertise and experience of Turkey in these sectors through signing of necessary cooperation MOUs and agreements," said Mohamed.